Review Blog

Nov 25 2013

Spirit animals : Wild born by Brandon Mull

Scholastic Australia, 2013. ISBN 9781742839974.Spirit Animals is a new series from Scholastic, building on their
previous successful series such as 39 Clues and Infinity Ring,
allowing the reader to be just that or to choose to participate in
an online adventure and forum with other readers where reading each
book adds to the game. As with the other series, a variety of
authors will be responsible for each book, bringing differing
writing styles whilst continuing to develop the same characters.Wild Born introduces us to the fantasy world of Erdas, a collection
of four main continents and many islands of various sizes as
referenced by a map at the beginning of the book. On each of these
continents children who turn eleven participate in various coming of
age ceremonies overseen by a member of the Greencloaks who provide
the Nectar which all children hope will bring forth their spirit
animal.
So we are introduced to Conor, a shepherd's son indentured to the
Earl of Trunwick to pay off his father's debts who calls forth the
wolf Briggan; Abeke a rebellious daughter and hunter who calls Uraza
the leopard; Meilin a General's pampered daughter well trained in
martial arts who is disappointed when she finds her spirit animal is
Jhi the Giant Panda; and last but not least Rollan, orphan and
street wise who escapes prison when the falcon Essix appears.
As three of the children come together under the guidance of Tarik
and become familiar with their animals which are reincarnations of
the fallen from the previous war with the Devourer arch enemy of the
Greencloaks and Abeke joins Zerif for her training, war is raging on
Zhong and spreading.
Soon it becomes obvious the fate of Erdas is in the hands of these
children and their special animals and the real adventure begins as
they search Arax the Ram in the mountains, battle Zerif
resulting in Abeke finally joining the Green cloaks and defining the
sides of good and evil.
As an introduction there is enough information to feel satisfied
with the characters and premise of the series but its success will
depend on the continuing development of the characters and their
relationships with each other and their animals as well as their
future adventures. I already have a number of boys clamouring for
the next book which is a positive sign for the series.
Sue Keane